Hat-trick of awards

10 December 2013 09:38am

By Luke Broadley

Leigh Halfpenny was named BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2013

Wales and Cardiff Blues full-back Leigh Halfpenny was named BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality 2013 at the Wales Sport Awards last night, on an evening that saw Warren Gatland and the Wales Squad also claim top honours.

Halfpenny succeeds 2012 Olympic taekwondo gold medallist Jade Jones in taking the title which was determined by a public vote. It caps a stellar year for the 24-year-old who has already collected the RBS 6 Nations player of the championship, British and Irish Lions player of the series and Midi Olympique International Player of the Year titles in 2013.

At the awards show in Cardiff, Gatland was named Coach of the Year for a year that saw him lead the British and Irish Lions to a first series success in sixteen years and also his Wales side - led by Rob Howley - claim a second RBS 6 Nations title in two years.

That success for Wales, claiming back-to-back titles for the first time since the late seventies, was also awarded with the squad picking up the 2013 Team of the Year award.

Wales can still win the Six Nations title in Rome, full coverage in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We hear from coach warren Gatland, captain Sam Warburton, as well as front row pair Scott Baldwin and Aaron Jarvis, while Alun Wyn Jones reflects on the victory over Ireland. Wales U20 defence coach Richard Hodges and outside half Jarrod Evans look ahead to Italy, while Wales Women's team manager Ben Rose looks at how their success has helped the game in Wales.

Gemma Rowland has had a 'whirlwind' start to her international career with Wales. Despite losing to France, she is confident Wales Women can bounce back and claim a rare Triple Crown against Ireland on Sunday, as WRU TV's Graeme Gillespie discovers.

The Wales teams return home for the Irish leg of their Six Nations campaigns in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We speak to Wales attack coach Rob Howley and defence coach Shaun Edwards, as well as flanker Dan Lydiate and full back Leigh Halfpenny. We hear from Wales Women's back rower Sian Williams and Wales U20 forwards coach Chris Horsman and flanker Ollie Griffiths.

Wales Women's head coach Rhys Edwards has made three changes to his side for Sunday's Triple Crown clash against Ireland. He tells WRU TV's Graeme Gillespie he is hoping for a big crowd at Swansea to spur his side on.

Wales look to build on victory in Paris in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We hear from coach Warren Gatland and captain Sam Warburton, as well as Wales Women's coach Rhys Edwards. We also hear from Wales U20 duo Dan Jones and Joe Davies, along with Wales U18s.

We look ahead to the French tests in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We look ahead to Wales France with Warren Gatland, Sam Warburton, Scott Baldwin, Rhys Webb and Jonathan Davies. Wales Women are the only team in red still unbeaten in this Six Nations, we speak to captain Rachel Taylor. Wales U20 are looking bounce back from defeat in Scotland, we hear from coach Jason Strange, captain Rory Thornton and front rower Dillon Lewis.

We look back at a remarkable Six Nations finale in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We hear from prop Aaron Jarvis and centre Scott Williams about the Italy Wales game and the few hours that followed, Ben Roach talks about Wales Sevens and Blues Ellis Jenkins and Dragons Andrew Coombs look ahead.

Dodgy tattoos, carthorses, Avatar and soft chins are revealed by Wales Sevens players Tom Williams and Sam Cross as they profile the Wales Sevens squad taking part in Hong Kong this weekend in the latest round of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Wales can still win the Six Nations title in Rome, full coverage in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We hear from coach warren Gatland, captain Sam Warburton, as well as front row pair Scott Baldwin and Aaron Jarvis, while Alun Wyn Jones reflects on the victory over Ireland. Wales U20 defence coach Richard Hodges and outside half Jarrod Evans look ahead to Italy, while Wales Women's team manager Ben Rose looks at how their success has helped the game in Wales.

Wales Under 18 play their opening match of the FIRA-AER Under 18 tournament against Italy tomorrow (5pm, Graulhet, France) determined to continue the attacking approach that saw the side push France close and beat England in recent weeks.

Wales can still win the Six Nations title in Rome, full coverage in this week's Principality Welsh Rugby Union Podcast. We hear from coach warren Gatland, captain Sam Warburton, as well as front row pair Scott Baldwin and Aaron Jarvis, while Alun Wyn Jones reflects on the victory over Ireland. Wales U20 defence coach Richard Hodges and outside half Jarrod Evans look ahead to Italy, while Wales Women's team manager Ben Rose looks at how their success has helped the game in Wales.